AFP Video

Beijing (AFP) – A US decision to shoot down a Chinese balloon flying above North Amercia is “unacceptable” and an “overreaction”, China’s foreign ministry says. Beijing claims the unmanned weather surveillance aircraft had veered off course while the US calls it a “high-altitude surveillance balloon.” “This is an unacceptable and irresponsible behavior… China will make necessary responses depending on the development of the situation,” warns Mao Ning, spokesperson of the foreign ministry.

London (AFP) – Nissan CEO Makoto Uchida welcomes the restructuring of the cooperation agreement between car manufacturers Renault and Nissan, which sees Renault reducing its stake in the Japanese firm from 43.4 percent to 15 percent, the same size as Nissan’s share in its French counterpart. Speaking at a press conference in London, Makoto Uchida says he’s “very confident that this new structure will deepen mutual trust,” and will “ensure that each member contributes with their strengths and works with shared ambitions.”

London (AFP) – Nurses hold a picket line outside St Thomas’ Hospital in London, as part of the UK’s biggest round of health service strikes, stepping up their demands for better pay to combat Britain’s cost of living crisis. As well as nurses, thousands of ambulance workers represented by the GMB and Unite unions are also going on strike.

Hong Kong (AFP) – Hong Kong’s largest national security trial opened Monday with 47 pro-democracy figures accused of trying to topple the government. The defendants, who include some of the city’s most prominent activists, face up to life in prison if convicted of “conspiracy to commit subversion” for involvement in an unofficial primary election. The case is the largest to date under the national security law, which China imposed on Hong Kong after huge democracy protests in 2019.

Santa Juana (Chile) (AFP) – Veterinarians treat pets with burn injuries at a primary care center for animals in the city of Santa Juana as wildfires continue to rage in south-central Chile.

‘Azmārīn (Syria) (AFP) – Rescuers search for survivors beneath the rubble of collapsed buildings in the village of Azmarin in Syria’s Iddlib province. At least 50 people have been killed across Syria as buildings collapsed after a 7.8-magnitude earthquake with its epicentre in southeastern Turkey, state media and a local hospital say.

A small group of protesters gather outside the Hong Kong court where the city’s largest national security trial was set to begin. “Crackdown is shameless,” read a banner carried by two people, adding: “Immediately release all political prisoners.”

A major 7.8-magnitude earthquake hit southeastern Turkey on Monday, the US Geological Survey said, levelling buildings across several cities and causing damage in neighbouring Syria. The quake struck at 04:17 am local time (0117 GMT) at a depth of about 17.9 kilometres (11 miles), the US agency said, with a 6.7-magnitude aftershock striking 15 minutes later.

Hong Kong (AFP) – The trial of 47 of Hong Kong’s most prominent pro-democracy figures begins Monday, in the largest prosecution under a national security law that has crushed dissent in the city.

Kyiv (Ukraine) (AFP) – Ukrainian Defence Minister Oleksiy Reznikov says that Kyiv would not use new long-range weapons from the West to strike targets in Russia. “On Friday our partners decided to provide us with weapons capable of firing at a distance of 150 kilometres,” or around 90 miles, Reznikov tells a news conference.